Optical instrument.



F. MIHALYI.

OPTICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4,1915.

1,285,775. Patelltd Nov. 26, 1918'.

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F. MIHALYI.

OPTICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED Au@.4. 1915.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MIHALYI, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CROWN OF ROCHESTER. NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

OPTICAL COMPANY,

OPTICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1915.

Application filed August 4.. 1917. Serial No. 184.163.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK MIHALYI, a citizen of the United States. and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Optical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to optical instruments. and more particularly to the type in which prisms are employed for deflecting the optical axis of the instrument, an object of this invention being to provide means by which the prism may be adjusted on its seat without producing any stresses or strains on the prism tending to distort the prism or cause the breakage thereof.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described. the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows one casing of a binocular with the cover and the eye-piece mounting removed; 4

Fig. 2 shows a binocular casing in section, with the covers at opposite ends of the latter removed and the eye-piece mounting and objective mounting also removed;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a perspective view of the device which acts as a cover for the prism and also is engaged by adjusting devices; and

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 55, Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the emliodimeut shown in the drawings. 1 indicates one of the casings of a binocular provided with the usual arms 2 by which two casings These casings are usually closed by cover plates. not shown. secured by screws engaging in the openings 3 An eye-piece mounting, not shown. is generally secured by the threads 4, while an objective mounting. not shown. is secured bv the threads 5. The casing has an internal partition 6 provided with three openings. while prisms 7 and 8 engage opposite sides pf the partition and are arranged over the openings in such a manner that the optical axis extends from the objective through one of the openings in the partition to and through the prism 7. thence by another opening in the partition to and through the prism 8, and thence through the third opening to the eye-piece.

The prism 8 is arranged on a seat 9 so that it may partake of a longitudinal move ment, but not of a lateral movement. Over this prism is arranged a device acting as a cover, said device being in this instance in the form of two angularly arranged portions 10 connected by a portion 11 and provided at opposite sides with feet or flanges 12 which bear against the angularly arranged faces of the prism to space the walls 10 from the prism faces so as to provide moisiure evaporating spaces between the prism surfaces and the cover wall. At the outer ends of the walls 10; offset portions 13 are provided. and from these ofi'set portions curved portions 14 extend, the curved portions conforming to and engaging the curved ends 15 of the prism and being substantially perpendicular to the prism seat 9. These curved ends are preferably engaged by adjusting screws 16 which are mounted in the casing walls and operable from the eX terior of the casing. so that the prism 8 may be adjusted longitudinally of its seat. Preferably the screws 16 are mounted in brass bushings 17, as it has been found that the walls of the casing, which are usually made of aluminum. do not provide a strong anchorage for the adjusting screws.

To hold the prism to its seat a leaf spring 18 may be employed, this spring engaging the portion 11 of the cover substantially midway between its ends. and having its ends fitted in recesses 19 in the casingwall at opposite ends of the prism seat. In this in- .quence. while the removal of the spring is secured. the spring is held against accidental displacement.

The prism 7 15 mounted in the same manner as the prism 8, and, in addition, has provision for lateral adjustment, this being desirable in order that collimation of the instrument may be secured as well as parallelism between the optical axes of the two halves of a binocular. The prism seat 9 of the prism 7 is wider than the prism in order that the latter may partake of lateral or sidewise movement. Preferably to one side of the center of the prisma bearing 21 is provided for engaging with one side wall of the prism 7. This bearing, in this instance, is in the form of a screw extending perpendicular to the prism seat 9, but it will be apparent that any stationary hearing will serve the same function. Arranged at the opposite side of the prism seat 9 is an adjustable bearing 22 which is in a line with the stationary bearing 21 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the prism seat. The p ism 7 is first secured between the bearing 21 and the bearing 22 in a manner such that all play is eliminated, yet the prism is not placed under tension. On the opposite side of the center of the prism two adjustable bearings 23 and 24 are provided, these bearings being situated upon opposite sides of the prism seat so as to engage opposite sides of the prism 7 substantially in a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the prism seat. It is apparent that, after the prism has been engaged by the bearings 21 and 22, it may be shifted laterally between said bearings by the bearings 23 and 24, thus making it pos I sible to effect the lateral adjustment of the prism for collimation of the instrument.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a prism adjustment in which the adjusting screws engage a portion of a device which engages with the curved end walls of the prism. By this arrangement pressure is not imposed on the angularly arranged. faces of the prism, and as a consequence the tendency to distort the prism through the devices for efiecting the longitudinal adjustment is obviated. The prism is held to its seat by a spring which is secured at its end without the provision of separate fastening devices, being held in recesses formed in the walls of the casing and opening toward the prism seat, thus permitting the holding spring to be readily removed. The devices for effecting the lateral adjustment of the prism are readily adjustable from the exterior of the casing and permit of such fine adjustment that a perfect collimation of'the instrument is secured.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination in an optical instrument, a seat, a prism arranged on the seat having two angularly-arranged faces and curved end walls at the ends of said faces,

a device covering said faces and engaging said curved end walls, and adjusting devices cotiperating with said device.

2. In combination in an optical instrument, a seat, a prism arranged on the seat and havin two angularly-arranged faces and curve end walls, a cover for said angularly-arranged faces havin curved portions at opposite ends perpendicular to the prism seat and en aging the curved end walls of the prism, an adjusting devices oooperating with the curved end walls of the cover.

3. In combination in an optical instrument, a seat, a prism arranged on the seat and having two angularly-arranged faces, a cover for said angularly arranged faces of said prism having walls perpendicular to said seat, and adjusting devices for cofiperating with said perpendicular walls.

4.. In combination in an optical instru-v 5. In combination in an optical instru-' ment, a casing having a prism seat therein and recesses in the walls at opposite ends of a said seat, said recesses opening laterally'on.

the sides toward the prism seat, a prlsm resting on the seat and a spring strip cooperating with the prism between' its ends and having its ends received within the re-- cesses of the casing and movable laterally toward the prism seat to be disengaged from the casing.

6. Incombination in an optical instrument, a prism seat, a prism resting on said seat and having a pair of angularly-arranged faces, two bearings cofinerating with opposite sides of the prism substantially in a line transversely of the prism to serve as fulcrums, and two other bearings adjustably mounted to cooperate with opposite sides of the prism to one side of the first named bearings.

7. In combination in an optical instrument, a prism seat, a prism resting on the seat, and having a pair of angularly-arranged faces, two bearing points cofiperating with opposite sides of the prism on a. line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the prism, one of said bearings being adjustable and the other being stationary, and two bearings adjustably mounted to one side of the first named hearings to coiiperate with opposite sides of the prism in order to swing the latter between the first named two beares- 8. In combination in an optical instrument, a casing having a prism seat, a prism resting on the seat and having a pair of angularly arranged faces, a frame cooperating with the two angularly arranged faces and having two faces thereon substantially perpendicular to the seat, the distances between said faces being substantially equal to the length of the prism, and two devices for effecting the longitudinal adjustment of the prism mounted on the casing at opposite ends of the prism and detachably engaging with said faces of the frame so that the 10 latter and the prism maybe removed from the casing by the release of one of such devices Without disturbing the position of the other adjusting device.

FRANK MIHALYI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner.- of Iatents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

